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Stonefield Query is a data mining, business intelligence, query, and report writing tool which is designed as a user-friendly alternative to Crystal Reports by Business Objects®. Rather than spending days and thousands of dollars on Crystal Reports training, even the most novice end user can start creating reports using Stonefield Query after just an hour of free training.
The following is a more detailed look at how Stonefield Query compares to Crystal Reports.
An end-user only needs to know;
- The information they want on the report
- The order they want it displayed
- Whether they need subtotals/grand totals
- What output type they want.
- Little to no technical knowledge
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An end-user who wants to build a report with Crystal Reports must know about all the items listed below and more.
- How to access the database(s) through ODBC, OLEDB, API’s, SDK’s, Web Services, or any other data connection method.
- Where the data is being stored
- Structure of the database(s) they are querying on.
- What the real table and field names are.
- What a SQL select statement is and how to write one
- What a join clause is and how many they need
- What a Page Header, Group Header, Detail Section or any other report designer band is and when to use them.
- How to write an expression or formula for a calculated field and the concepts behind them
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| A single report can be created in only minutes. |
A single report can take from hours to even days to create! |
Introductory online training course is 1 hour in length and is FREE. Stonefield Query Advanced Report Designer online training is 90 minutes in length and is FREE.
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Crystal training is expensive and time consuming. For example, CrystalUser.com offers a 2-day Introductory course for $950.00. The prerequisites for this course are: proficient knowledge of windows environment familiarity with relational database concepts.
Advanced training requires two more days and costs an additional $950.00.
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- 3 Months of unlimited email support
- Limited telephone support.
- 12 Month unlimited email support available for 20% subscription.
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- 2 Case Incidents via email (lifetime)
- 1 Case Incident via phone ($195.00 per additional incident)
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- 3 Months of product updates included
- 3 Months of version upgrades included
- Updates include new features as well as hot fixes and patches.
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- Hot fixes and patches for 1 year
- $119.00 per Developer for 1 year Upgrade Protection (purchased upfront)
- $315.00 Version upgrade
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| Yes. Reports are shared by default between all users (role based security available). Database connection information is not stored with a report, so a report can easily be used with a different database than it was created for, without editing and without requiring a report designer license. |
No. Reports created against a particular database must be edited by the report designer when used with another database because the connection information for the database (database name and server location) is stored with the report. |
| Yes. Stonefield Query already knows how to join tables, so the user doesn’t have to know what a join is, let alone when to use or how to create one. |
No. The report designer must select the tables that are to be reported on, and then define the type of join to be used for each table relationship. Defining the join incorrectly can cause unexpected results. |
| Yes. Stonefield Query displays the descriptive name (captions) for all tables and fields an end-user can report on. Stonefield Query also controls whether or not a table or field is available for reporting. |
No. The report designer must know the exact name of the field and table which a field belongs to in order to use the field in a report. |
| Yes. Stonefield Query stores calculated and formula fields in its data dictionary. The end-user only needs to select the field for the report. They do not have to know why or how it was created. |
No. In order to create calculated or formula fields for a report you must be a report designer and know formula concepts and the appropriate syntax to create them. |
| Yes. Reports can be designed to prompt the user for values used in a particular condition (“ask-at-runtime” conditions). Users can also specify their own query conditions by filtering on any field they wish. |
No. Reports can be designed to prompt the user for the value used in a particular condition, but does not allow the user to easily change the conditions, such as filtering on a different field. |
| Yes. Filtering on a keyword in a memo field is as easy as filtering on any other condition. The Begins With, Does Not Begin With, Contains, or Does Not Contain operators provide great flexibility in filtering. |
Not possible. |
| Yes. Stonefield Query has a built-in setup generator that makes it easy for you to deploy Stonefield Query to your end-users. |
No. A developer must create their own program to distribute reports to end-users. |
| Yes. Simply define how the two data sources are related and Stonefield Query will take care of the rest. |
Yes, however it’s very complicated. |
| Yes. Create customized help documentation for your users that is specific to your data. |
No. |
| Yes. Create your own branded version of Stonefield Query. Allows you to remove all references to Stonefield from the application. Distribute and profit from Stonefield Query as your own product. |
No. Crystal Reports name cannot be removed from product. |
| Yes. Control access to information at the field, table, group, user, folder and report level. |
Yes. Control access to group, user, folder and reports. |
| PDF, Word, Excel, HTML, CSV, Text, XML, DBF, and RTF |
PDF, Word, Excel, HTML, CSV, RTF, Tab Delimited |
| ODBC, OLE DB, SQL Server over HTTP using SQLXML, Data from a Web Server (ie. ASP.net), and data through proprietary means (ie. API or SDK) |
ODBC, OLE DB, JDBC, OLAP, XML, COM data providers and ADO .NET |
| Yes. Stonefield Query has a built in report scheduler that walks the user through time & day, interval, and format settings. Runtime and Professional users can schedule reports. |
Yes, reports must be scheduled to run by a Report Designer. Runtime users cannot schedule their own reports |
Yes. Supports 87 Avery Label formats. |
Yes. |
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